The Watersons - Topic Records

The original Watersons were Mike and his sisters Norma and Lal, with their second cousin John Harrison. That is the lineup heard on Early Days and most of Frost and Fire, classic recordings from the 1960s. After a period off the scene, the group re-emerged in 1973 with Harrison's place filled by Martin Carthy; these are the Watersons of For Pence & Spicy Ale and Green Fields.

In their power and rich texture the Watersons' harmonies are unmatched in English folksinging.

THE WATERSONS FOR PENCE AND SPICY ALE TSCD574

tscd574 watersons for pence andd spicy ale "for pence and spicy ale" introduced the “new” Watersons of the 1970s – when Martin Carthy joined the group. Two music papers judged it “Folk Album of the Year” in 1975 and, for many, it is the best album that The Watersons have ever produced.

Topic has re-mastered the recordings from the original tapes to produce unparalleled sound quality, and re-packaged it in a handsome digipak. Between the opening song “Country Life” and the closing “The Good Old Way” are some of the most stirring performances ever committed to record.

• "This is the pinnacle of their prolific career - a wonderful collection of passionate solo voices and inspired harmonies. Ageless songs + sharp sense of adventure = certified genius. All time classic album." HMV Choice

• "A staggering album – the luminous power and rich texture of their acapella voices unmatched in English Folk Singing. This is traditional folk music elevated to the highest art. The finest, most fragrant flowering of the English Folk tradition in the past 50 years." HMV Choice

• "This classic album of British Folk Music sounds as fresh and astringently beautiful today as it did in 1975, when it was originally released...the harmonies they produce are sharply beautiful. The Watersons' many fans will be thrilled to see this album newly available on CD with its tracklisting in the original running order - ESSENTIAL" All Music Guide

• "This reissue of a classic album is a must-have" Dirty Linen

1 Country Life

2 Swarthfell Rocks
3 Barney
4 Swansea Town
5 Swinton May Song
6 Beggar Man
7 Bellman

8 Sheepshearing
9 Three Day Millionaire
10 King Pharim
11 T Stands for Thomas
12 Malpas Wassail Song
13 Chickens in the Garden
14 The Good Old Way

THE WATERSONS SOUND SOUND YOUR INSTRUMENTS OF JOY TSCD564

tscd564 watersons sound sound your instruments of joy

For the first time on CD, the complete album as recorded in 1977 with Lal, Mike and Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy. Remastered for outstanding sound quality and presented in a redesigned digipack.

On this record The Watersons give us a panorama of sacred song – from the deep folklore of wassail songs and vernacular carols, through various folky kinds of meeting-house hymn, and on to exuberant camp meeting pieces – folk songs, or near folk songs that we have lost or that have become unfamiliar – but all worth restoring to life.

• "This album displays the rich a cappella polyphonies that were the Watersons’ trademark." The Independent Music Review

• "These releases, beautifully packaged and re-mastered in such stunning clarity, will blow away any complacency that familiarity may have bred and will serve as a reminder of what groundbreaking albums they were upon release and remain today." Properganda

• "Truly glorious" Songlines

• "These venerable releases shine in their newly remastered form." Dirty Linen

1 God Bless The Master
2 While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
3 Windham
4 Heavenly Aeroplane
5 Christian's Hope
6 The Bitter Withy
7 Emmanuel

8 Idumea
9 Sound, Sound Your Instruments Of Joy
10 Come All Ye Faithful Christians
11 Green Fields
12 David's Lamentation
13 Morning Trumpet
14 Joy, Health, Love And Peacet

THE WATERSONS FROST AND FIRE TSCD563

tscd563 watersons frost and fire The original classic album recorded in 1965 is now released in a re-designed package with extra photographs and with unbeatable remastered sound quality that makes it feel as though the group is in the room with you.

Seasons of anxiety, seasons of joy. The common people had their rites of propitiation and triumph, older than the rituals of the church and closer bound to their daily lives. This album takes us through a year’s calendar, displaying songs that accompanied these ceremonies, season by season.

The Watersons perform in the original classic lineup – Lal, Mike and Norma Waterson and John Harrison.

• "Quite without parallel amongst British group singing" English Dance and Song

• "Frost and Fire contains all the urgency of talented young people determined to record songs from a seemingly dying tradition. The results sound as fresh today as any recent Waterson:Carthy offering." Morning Star

• "The Watersons' first album was released in 1965. It remains a revelation" Songlines

• "These venerable releases shine in their newly remastered form." Dirty Linen

1 Here We Come A-Wassailing
2 The Derby Ram
3 Jolly Old Hawk
4 Pace-Egging Song
5 Seven Virgins (The Leaves of Life)
6 The Holly Bears a Berry
7 Hal-An-Tow

8 Earsdon Sword Dance Song
9 John Barleycorn
10 Harvest Song: We Gets Up in the Morn
11 Souling Song
12 Christmas is Now Drawing Near at Hand
13 Herod & the Cock
14 Wassail Song

MIGHTY RIVER OF SONG THE WATERSONS TSFCD4002

tsfcd4002 watersons box set The Watersons are one of England’s great musical families. Mighty River
Of Song traces the remarkable story of the extended Waterson Family though
four decades of incredible music.

It includes gems from throughout their career, together with a wealth of rare,
live and previously unreleased recordings. Mighty River Of Song is a comprehensive overview of The Watersons and their place in the English Folk Revival.

• 'Not so much a stream as a flood' The Times
• 'Passionate, inspirational' Mojo
• 'extraordinary' Uncut
• 'Utterly unmissable' Time Out
• '.. a remarkable work' FRoots
• 'Long may they prosper' The Observer Music Monthly
• 'Outstanding!! great art...four decades of brilliance' Sunday Times Culture Magazine

more press reviews at the foot of the page

Contains
• 4 music CDs,
• a DVD of the acclaimed documentary “Traveling for a Living”
• a 52 page full colour booklet – profusely illustrated with extensive notes
and a full discography.

Researched and compiled by David Suff.
Full track list below:-

[n.b. - please note larger items such as this are subject to appropriate extra postage/shipping charges, pro-rata by weight. Please view the amount in the checkout area before you complete your order.]

CD1
1		Here We Come A-Wassailing The Watersons
2		Blood Red Roses The Folksons
3		Let The Bulgine Run The Watersons
4		The Ploughboy The Watersons
5		Holbeck Moor Cock Fight The Watersons
6		The Greenland Whale Fishery The Watersons
7		The Derby Ram The Watersons
8		Hal-an Tow The Watersons
9		John Barleycorn Mike Waterson
10		The Barley And The Rye Lal And Norma Waterson
11		The Thirty-Foot Trailer The Watersons
12		I Am A Rover The Watersons
13		Rap Her To Bank The Watersons
14		Three Score And Ten The Watersons
15		The Jolly Waggoners The Watersons
16		Twanky-Dillo The Watersons
17		The Whitby Lad The Watersons
18		The Morning Looks Charming The Watersons
19		Willy Went To Westerdale The Watersons
20		The White Cockade The Watersons
21		Stow Brow Lal Waterson
22		The Bird Lal and Mike Waterson
23		Red Wine Promises Lal and Mike Waterson
24		Song For Thirza Lal and Mike Waterson

CD2
1		Pace-Egging Song The Watersons
2		Boston Harbour The Watersons
3		Sweet William The Watersons
4		Souling Song The Watersons
5		Barney Lal and Norma Waterson
6		Three Day Millionaire Mike Waterson
7		The Good Old Way The Watersons
8		The Light Dragoon The Watersons
9		Jenny Storm Lal and Norma Waterson
10		Tam Lyn Mike Waterson
11		Sound, Sound Your Instruments Of Joy The Watersons
12		Heavenly Aeroplane The Watersons
13		Emmanuel The Watersons
14		Swansea Town Mike Waterson
15		The Unfortunate Lass Norma Waterson
16		The Welcome Sailor Lal Waterson
17		Young Billy Brown Lal and Norma Waterson
18		The Khaki And the Blue The Watersons
19		The Whitby Lad The Watersons
20		The Black And Bitter Night Mike Waterson

CD3
1		The Prickle Holly Bush The Watersons
2		When I Die Peter Bellamy
3		I Went To Market The Watersons
4		The Furze Field Martin Carthy and Mike Waterson
5		The King's Song The Watersons
6		Swarthfell Rocks The Watersons
7		Meeting Is A Pleasure Lal and Norma Waterson
8		Doing A Bit Mike Waterson
9		Young Banker The Watersons
10		Chickens In The Garden The Watersons
11		A Stitch In Time Martin Carthy
12		All I Have Is My Own The Watersons
13		Brave General Wolfe Mike Waterson
14		May Song Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy
15		Harvest Home The Watersons
16		Gower Wassail The Watersons
17		Rumpsy Bumpsy Toralee Mike Waterson
18		John Ball The Waterdaughters
19		A Stur Mo Chroi The Waterdaughters
20		Stormy Winds The Watersons
21		A Mole In A Hole The Watersons

CD4
1		Hilda's Cabinet Band The Watersons
2		The Rambling Irish Man Mike Waterson
3		There Are No Lights On Our Christmas Tree The Watersons
4		Coal Not Dole Norma Waterson
5		The White Cockade The Watersons
6		Cob-A Coaling The Watersons
7		T Stands For Thomas The Watersons
8		Bid You Goodnight Blue Murder
9		McIlroy The Emerald Cowboy Mike Waterson
10		Jack Frost Mike Waterson
11		Pleasure And Pain Waterson:Carthy
12		Stars In My Crown Waterson:Carthy
13		Flowers Of Knaresborough Forest Waterson:Carthy
14		Ain't No Man Worth The Salt Of My Tears Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy
15		Black Muddy River Waterson:Carthy
16		Just A Note Lal Waterson and Maria Gilhooley
17		Earth Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy
18		Stumbling On Eliza Carthy
19		Poor Boney Norma Waterson
20		Bright Phoebus Blue Murder
21		A Sweet Lullaby Oliver Knight

DVD

"Travelling For A Living" the film about the The Watersons

[from the notes by Derrick Knight (script, direction, producer) in 1966]

Four young people huddle in the cold and discomfort of an old van as they travel, maybe hundreds of miles, to a singing engagement in a folk club, and back again to their home town of Hull. They are a group called The Watersons - Michael, Norma and Elaine Waterson, brother and two sisters, and their cousin John Harrison.

The three Watersons were orphaned in early life and brought up by a fiercely matriarchal grandmother who said they had to stick together. Even today the closeness of the family unit is maintained.

Despite the fact that two of them have married, they all live together in a single scruffy terraced house, whose centre is a common kitchen, always full of friends and noise. This close, cosy home life is in total contrast to their professional life. In the last two years the Watersons have become one of the most popular folk singing groups in the country, yet they are far removed from the fashionable exhibitionist folk singers.

This film is about the Watersons' world. It is about their lives - down to earth, vibrant, receptive and haunted by all kinds of influences from the past: their Irish tinker and farming ancestry, their grandmother's second-hand shop where a love of tradition grew up among horse brasses and sing-songs, the rich historical and trading association of the port of Hull. Above all it is about exciting old music, its source and its meaning today. In this film the Watersons are placed against the broader picture of the folk revival.

THE WATERSONS GREEN FIELDS TSCD500

Another masterful performance by the latterday Watersons. Again, an original album by the full group has been supplemented with solo tracks by Mike and solo and duet tracks by Norma and Lal. In keeping with its title, the album focuses on songs of country life like While Gamekeepers Lie Sleeping, We'll All Go a-Hunting Today and The Brave Ploughboy.

1 Stormy Winds
2 Sedgefield Fair
3 Fare Thee Well, Cold Winter
4 The Wensleydale Lad
5 Young Banker
6 While Gamekeepers Lie Sleeping
7 The Prickle-Holly Bush
8 We'll All Go A-Hunting Today
9 The Unfortunate Lass

10 The Brisk Lad
11 Hares in the Old Plantation
12 Rosebuds in June
13 The Furze Field
14 I Went to Market
15 Three Pretty Maidens
16 The Lincolnshire Shepherd
17 The Brave Ploughboy

THE WATERSONS EARLY DAYS TSCD472

Introducing these recordings on their first appearance in the mid-'60s A.L. Lloyd wrote of this new singing group's 'hand-crafted harmonies, an immediately recognisable and uniquely distinctive group sound which is uninhibited, spontaneous seeming and rich in texture.' What became of The Watersons after that is history, and can be followed step by step in Topic's other Watersons CDs. Early Days recaptures the youthful sound of the original quartet in 27 performances from long-deleted albums.

1 Boston Harbour
2 The Greenland Whale Fishery
3 Three Score & Ten
4 The Broom of Cowdenknowes
5 King Arthur's Servants
6 Rap Her to Bank
7 Dido Bendigo
8 The North Country Maid
9 Brave Wolfe
10 The Jolly Waggoners
11 I Am a Rover
12 Fathom the Bowl
13 The Thirty-Foot Trailer
14 The Holmfirth Anthem

15 Twanky-Dillo
16 The White Hare of Howden
17 All for Me Grog
18 The Poacher's Fate
19 The Tour of the Dales
20 Willy Went to Westerdale
21 I'Anson's Racehorse
22 The Ploughboy
23 The White Cockade
24 Ye Noble Spectators
25 Stow Brow
26 The Wanton Life of Castlegate
27 The Whitby Lad

WHAT THE REVIEWS SAID ABOUT "MIGHTY RIVER OF SONG"

• 'It's a great box of magic - full of passion and creative and spirited music' Christy Moore
• 'Not so much a stream as a flood' The Times
• 'a veritable beacon of integrity, passion and innovation' Mojo
• 'Utterly unmissable' Time Out
• 'as a representation of the character and soul of a family that's played a pivotal role in the evolution of this country's indigenous music across the last four decades, it is a remarkable work' FRoots
• 'Long may they prosper' The Observer Music Monthly
• 'Passionate, inspirational.' Mojo
• 'This is a terrific musical record of a remarkable story of The Watersons. The musical steps of the extended Waterson family are retraced through four decades of beautiful music, with the set including gems from throughout their career, together with a wealth of rare, live and previously unreleased recordings.' Evening Mail
• 'You can only wonder at the prodigious talent that is on display here.
David Suff’s monumental research, allied with John Haxby’s design, give the reader a veritable treasure trove' Folk on Tap
• 'The story of an extraordinary musical dynasty' Uncut
• 'The Watersons have influenced probably every folk singer and more over the last 40 years and this box set is a fitting tribute' The Morning Star
• 'variety and spark' The Daily Telegraph
• 'A joy forever' Standaard (Belgian National Newspaper)
• 'A remarkable work' fRoots magazine
• ' Their ability to make a narrative spring to life and their rugged determination to seek out and protect our heritage remains as relevant and engrossing as ever. This is an essential document.' BBC Radio 2 Folk Reviews
• 'Decades of glorious harmony – a superb package' The Daily Telegraph
• 'Superlative' Songlines magazine
• 'Utterly unmissable – this set draws together a fantastic selection of tracks from every point in the family’s career. Long may their river flow' Time Out
• 'Truly profound – features an intoxicating mixture of the familiar, obscure and previously unreleased. The icing on (the) cake is surely the Derrick Knight, 1965, BBC TV documentary. Anyone with even the remotest interest in traditional folk song ought to pick up this release. Consider it a Holy Grail.' Penguin Eggs

OTHER REVIEWS

• "When the family sing unaccompanied as one, indefinable instinctive harmonies buzz in your inner ear, and your internal organs shift position." Sunday Times

TSCD564 SOUND SOUND YOUR INSTRUMENTS OF JOYe

• "The group work is powerful, driving, emotive and surprising. Once again, the vocal harmonies are so full and intricate; when accompaniment is introduced on Emmanuel, in the form of Gabriel’s Horns, the effect is stunning." Properganda

• "The singing on this CD is thunderously tuneful and almost operatic in its grandeur. These are vital, transcendent recordings." Living Tradition

TSCD563 Frost and Fire

• "Truly magical, and harmony singing was never the same again." BBC Radio 2 Folk and Acoustic

• "It can be seen as one of the great stones thrown into the pool of modern folk who’s ripples are still felt today." Properganda

• "These are vital, transcendent recordings." Living Tradition